FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT
27 MARCH 2022
Today’s
first reading makes it clear that God sees very differently from the way human
beings see. King Saul had been a
successful leader according to human judgment.
But he failed to make proper sacrifices to God. Instead of choosing offerings that were the
choicest fruits and the best of the herd, Saul settled for a less than
desirable sacrifice. So God tells Samuel
to go to an insignificant family in an insignificant village. Even in Bethlehem, God sees differently than
does Jesse. Instead of choosing Eliab
with his lofty stature, God instructs Samuel to choose the youngest boy, the
shepherd David. The spirit of the Lord
rushes upon David when Samuel anoints him with oil. That anointing signifies the healing of the
body. It is also a symbol of strength. God has seen the truth about David. As David grows and matures, he will prove his
strength by defeating the mighty Goliath.
He will also provide proper worship for God.
In today’s
Gospel, the man born blind eventually comes to see the truth about Jesus. During this past year, the Elect preparing
for the Sacraments of Initiation gradually have had their eyes opened to truth
about Jesus the Christ. During Lent, we
anoint them with the Oil of the Catechumens on a weekly basis. We ask the Lord to strengthen them to see the
truth about Jesus Christ more clearly.
When they emerge from the waters of Baptism, they will be clothed with a
white garment, indicating because they have put on Christ. They will receive a candle lit from the
Easter Candle, showing the truth that Saint Paul proclaims. They will be light in the Lord. Then they will be anointed with Oil in the
Sacrament of Confirmation. Because
Chrism is mixed with the sweet perfume balsam, their anointing will suggest
through the sense of smell that the Holy Spirit has rushed upon them with
wisdom and strength.
As these
good people go through the Second Scrutiny, they remind us that we have been
united with Christ through Baptism. The
Holy Spirit rushed upon us when we were confirmed with Chrism, sealing us with
wisdom and strength. When we priests
were ordained, the Bishop anointed our hands with the sweet smelling
Chrism. That anointing reminds us that
we stand in the person of Christ at the Altar to make an offering on the
people’s behalf.
The Lord
chose us not according to our appearance, but because he has looked into our
hearts. The man born blind does not ask
to be given his sight. Jesus chooses
him. The man born blind cooperates with
the grace given to him by going to wash in the Pool of Siloam. When his neighbors ask how he came to see, he
responds that the man called Jesus made clay and anointed his eyes. He gradually opens his eyes and sees the truth
about Jesus and worships him. He becomes
a disciple, much as our Elect will become his disciples at the Easter Vigil.
We who have
been baptized and anointed with the Holy Spirit must avoid the blindness of the
religious authorities. As the man born
blind gradually begins to see more clearly the truth about Jesus Christ, they
become more blinded to that truth. We
are often tempted to resist the promptings of the Holy Spirit to be wise and
strong. We can easily fall back into
darkness. We can fail to see Christ in
the people and events around us. We can
choose to cling to the anger and resentments and divisions of these past two
years. We can fall back into destructive
habits that separate us from the Lord and each other. This second Scrutiny over the Elect
strengthens them to see their past darkness as they approach the light of
Christ. In this Scrutiny, they urge us
to expose our works of darkness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Instead of keeping things secret out of
shame, we can expose our darkness to the bright fire of God’s compassionate and
merciful love. If we can be restored
through God’s mercy as children of light, our community will be filled with
goodness, righteousness, and truth.
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